Loose-leaf binder



April 21, 1925.

G. PRIMBS. SR

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Jalnh 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Qu n.

Patented Apr. 21, 1925.

o-pri ee.

Greener: iRIiviBs, SR1;owqeamm jimm, ns sxelnon roeno, name is; sons, Inc, or POCATELLO, IDAHO, A CORPORATION or IDAHO.

Loosis LEAF 7 mean.

Application filed' lf anuary 29, 1994. Serial N0. 689,229.

To all whom it may 0.1mm:

Be itknown that I,-Gnoncn PRIMBs, Sr., a citi'zenof the Unitedstates, residing at Pocatello, in the county of Bannock and State ofIdaho, have invented certain'new and useful "IInprovem ents in Loose-Leaf Binders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such "as will enable others skilled in theart t'o-fivhich it appertains to makeand use the same. I

l\Iy invention relates to newand useful improvements in lobseleafbinders, and has for its object to provide "a binder which is durable, e'asyto' manipulate and in which theleave's orpagesinay be'locked.

I fith'theabove and other objects view which will appear 'as'the description proceeds,1n iin'vention" consistsin' the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accomp ariying drawings and more part-icula'rly pointed out in'the appended "claims.

Referring to the drawings, in hich numerals of likecharacter designate similar parts throughout'the several views,

Fig. lis' a sectional View from oneend of the'open binder. v a I A Fig. 2 is 'a view looking down on'the open binder, showing a portion of the leaves 39 broken away. I r d Fig. 3'is ap'lan viewof the latch casing. Fig. 4 isa plan View of the latch plate and mechanism, with the casing removed,

showing the device in locl'zed position. 7

ing the device in unlocked position.

Fig. 6 is a viewtaken on lined- 6 of Fig. 3. I p I Fig. 7 is'a view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 8 is taken on line 88 of Fig. 4. I Fig. 9 is an enlarged'sectional view of a portion of the opened binder, showing the latch plate and easing. I p

Fig.'10 is an enlarged plan view'of one of the retaining straps with the lug members on each end. it D Fig. 11 is an'enlarged view of the key, and. l .1. l

Fig; 12 is an enlarged View o'f one of the lug, members of the retaining straps,"s'how- I ing the structure of the member and the means for securing it to the strap.

Fig. 13 is another form. of strap lug which may be employed, M

center. I thereof, I secure by riveting or'other means,

Fig. 5 isa view similar to Fi'gMl, showstantially into; the form shown in cross section in Fig. 8, with a longitiidinal rib l extending throughout its length near the Adjacent the rib {L and on one side a number of strips 5 or fibrous or other suitable material such as brnders board,

cut out and spaced apart in such a manner as to form the lug retainers 6, and the latch and spring retainer 7 These lug'retalners may be stamped in the metal strip 8, in-

steadof being formed by the fibrousstrips 5, as before described.

Intheretainers 7, I provide spring actufatedlatches 8, adaptedto engage the strap lugs 9, which will be'described later. The spring'latches 8 are thrown out of engagement with the lugs 9 byhieans of sliding rod 10, which is bent at'the key engaging end 11, and provided with recesses or notches 12, at predetermined points along its length, to receive the ears 8 of the latches 8, 'andaetuate the same.

The rod 10 is operated'by a key l3, sho\vn in detail in Fig. 11, which is'beveled at one end 14, and grooved longitudinally throughout'it-s lengtlrto register with ribs or raised portions on the metal strip 3.

The latch mechanism is preferably enclosed in a metal casing '15, bent in the form shown in cross section in Fig. 6 and slotted at'points 16 along'its bent edge Which correspond With thepositions of the lug retainers 6 in the latch plate 2. I also provide a slot 17' and a rib 18 with which the grooves in the key 13 register. This casing'is closed at each end't-o exclude any p a-rticles of dust which might hinder the working of the parts.

When the casing 15 islitted on the plate 2"2ind the device is ready to be secured to the binder cover, that portion of the-metal sheet- 3 opposite the latch mechanism, is inserted between the layers of the cover 1, and

screws 19 are put in through holes in the casing '15, and the rib 4 ofthe plate 2.

The leaves 20 of the binder are provided with apertures 21, through which straps 22 of a suitable pliable material, preferably leather, are adapted to be inserted for hold ing the said leaves in the binder.

On each end of the straps 22, I secure in any desirable manner, lugs 9 before mentioned, which are preferably composed of one strip of metal folded upon itself in the fashion shown in Fig. 12, allowing the ends to project over the inner fold, to receive the strap. The lugs 9 are notched as at 23 to engage the latches 8 when inserted in the retainers 6 of the latch plate.

Instead of the form of lug just described and shown in Fig. 12, I may use the form shown in Fig. 13 comprising one strip of metal enclosing the ends of the straps and notched as aforesaid.

The operation of my binder is as follows;

One lug 9 of each strap is locked in the plate on one side of the binder, leaving the other end of each strap with the other lug thereon free. These free ends are then passed through the apertures 21 in the leaves 20, and the lugs are inserted through the slots 16, in the casing 15, into the retainers 6 in the plate 2.

In order to facilitate the insertion of the lugs in the slots 16, I have graded the slots as to their depth toward the longitudinal center of the casing 15, as will be seen from Fig. 3, the two end slots being the shortest, the next a little longer, and the center slot still longer. By so arranging these slots, itmakes it possible for one person to operate the device by first inserting the end lugs, then the next lugs and finally the center lug. Otherwise it would be necessary to hold each lug in place until all are inserted, which would be very inconvenient.

These slots may be graded from top to bottom or vice versa.

After the lugs are inserted, as aforesaid, the cover 1 of the binder is closed. This forces the lugs 9 against the latches 8, which compress the springs X until the notches 23 of the lugs register with the latches 8, and are locked in place by the springs X.

To open my improved binder for removing or replacing the leaves, the key 13 is inserted in the slot 17, and pressed inwardly, its beveled end portion 14 engaging the bent end 11 of the rod 10. \Vhen the key is forced against the rod 10, said rod is moved longitudinally along the plate 2, and with it the latches 8, which release the lugs 9. The cover of the binder is then pulled outwardly, freeing the one set of lugs and straps.

This operation may be performed from either the front or back cover of the binder, depending upon which leaves it is desired to change.

By removing the key, or even by returning it to a non-engaging position, as shown in Fig. 1, the latches 8 again assume their original locking position by means of the springs X and the lugs and straps may be inserted in the aforesaid manner.

From the foregoing it is believed that my invention may be clearly understood without further description, and in closing, it may be stated that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A loose leaf binder, including a cover, locking means secured to said cover comprising a plurality of individually spring actuated latches, a plurality of strap mem bers having lugs thereon, said lugs being adapted to engage said latches to hold the leaves in said binder.

2. A loose leaf binder, including a cover, a latch plate consisting of a plate provided with a plurality of latch retainers adapted to receive individually spring actuated latches, a rod for releasing said latches, lug retainers, and a plurality of strap members having lugs thereon, said lugs being adapted to fit in said lug retainers and engage said latches to hold the leaves in said binder.

3. A loose leaf binder including a cover, a latch plate secured to said cover consisting of a strip of rigid material provided with a longitudinal rib, a plurality of filler strips secured to said plate, cut out and spaced apart to form lug and latch retainers, spring actuated latches fitting in said latch retainers, a plurality of strap members having lugs thereon, said latches being adapted to engage said lugs when the latter are inserted in said lug retainers to hold the leaves in said binder and means for throwing said latches out of engagement.

4:. A loose leaf binder, including a cover, a latch plate and locking means enclosed by a casing, said casing being provided with a plurality of slots graded as to depth to facilitate the insertion of strap lugs for hold-' ing the leaves in said binder.

5. A loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said slots are graded toward the longitudinal center of said casing.

6. A loose leaf binder, including a cover, at least one latch plate secured to said cover, said latch plate being provided with a longitudinally extending rib running substantially through the center thereof, lug retainers and latch retainers provided on one side of said rib for receiving spring actuated latches, a longitudinally sliding rod disposed adjacent said retainers and notched at predetermined points along its length, bearing against and guided by said rib to engage and reciprocate said latches, a plurality of strap members with lugs secured to at least one end thereof, said lugs being adapted to fit in said retainers and engage said latches,

and a key for actuating said rod for looking or unlocking said device.

7. A loose leaf binder, including a cover, latch plates secured to said cover, each of said latch plates being provided with a longitudinally extending rib running substantially through the center thereof, lug retainers and latch retainers provided on one side of said rib for receiving spring actuated latches, a longitudinally sliding rod disposed adjacent said retainers and notched at predetermined points along its length, bearing against and guided by said rib to engage and reciprocate said latches, a plurality of strap members with lugs secured to each end thereof, said lugs being adapted to fit in said lug retainers and engage said latches, and a key for actuating said rod for looking or unlocking said device.

8. A loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for throwing the latch es out of engagement consist in a rod bent at one end to engage a beveled key, the beveled end of said key being adapted to serve as a wedge to force said rod longitudinally on said plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE PRIMBS, SR. 

